MR. BARING-GOULD'S " DARTMOOR IDYLLS."
[TO THE EDITOR OP THIN " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—In your notice of Mr. Baring-Gould's " Dartmoor Idylls,".
in the Spectator of October 31st, you cite the intended epitaph- of John and Joan Noble, the hero and heroine of one of the stories. I do not know whether the conception of the coeval pair is original, or whether the author had heard of the Huntroyds case,—a case which shows that fact is often quite as strange as fiction. The Huntroyds are buried in Whitby churchyard,. and a horizontal slab recessed in the south wall of the church near the chancel door formerly bore an inscription to their memory. The slab is still in existence, but the greater part of the inscription has become obliterated by time and weather. The first line containing the names of the Huntroyds is still legible. Amongst some family papers of the last century, I have an old copy made in 1766 of the inscription. I may observe that I am a descendant of the Huntroyds. The in- scription is as follows :—
"Here lie the bodies of Francis Huntroyds and Mary his wife,. who were both born on the same day of the week month and year that is on the 19th day of Septr. 1600. They were married on the day of their birth, known by the name of their birthday.. They lived together until they had 12 children born unto them.. Thendied aged 80 years and on the same day of their birth and marriage the one not above five hours before the other on the 19th. of Septr. 1630."
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